Why Middlesbrough striker’s goalscoring touch has come at just the right time

Middlesbrough striker Jordan Hugill scored his first two Championship goals for the club in Saturday’s 2-0 win against Wigan Athletic at the Riverside Stadium, and his form may have come at the perfect time for the Teessiders.

Hugill signed on loan in the summer from West Ham United, following a £10 million move from Preston in January. However, he was given very limited chances in the Hammers side, and looked for options away from the London Stadium.

Middlesbrough is Hugill’s boyhood club, and Pulis reached out to give him a lifeline and his faith has since been rewarded, with his brace against Wigan last weekend.

Many Boro fans have debated whether it should be Hugill or Britt Assombalonga that leads the line, but with Hugill given the nod against the Latics, and now off the mark, it could be the West Ham loanee’s spot to lose for the coming weeks.

Britt Assombalonga may feel aggrieved to have lost his place to Hugill, considering the latter had not scored in the league before Saturday’s outting. However, with the loanee hitting the headlines, many Boro fans will be hoping Hugill retains his spot and now has the confidence he was clearly lacking in previous weeks and continues his goalscoring touch.

The former-Preston North End man has hit form at the perfect time too, with Middlesbrough playing only two sides in the top ten between now and the end of the year, with Blackburn Rovers and Queens Park Rangers the only two sides to occupy a top ten spot in the fixture list until January.